


Anywhere but Home

by maithcop



Category: The LEGO Movie (2014)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Running Away
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-02-16 19:17:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18697600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maithcop/pseuds/maithcop
Summary: In the days of the Rebellion, Business always did have a curfew set for Bricksburg.Tucker breaks that curfew.





	Anywhere but Home

**Author's Note:**

> warning for child abuse, stay safe yall
> 
> anyway i love my boy tuck and i hope yall do too

  Did he really have to pick a night when it was snowing to run off? The snow on the ground had been crunching underneath Tucker’s feet as he trudged through Bricksburg, hoping he wouldn’t be caught by authorities. It was  _ way _ past curfew and he wasn’t supposed to be out this late, but what was worse? Getting caught by the cops or staying one more night with his mother? Staying with Mom, no question.

  Poor Tucker didn’t even grab a jacket on his way out the door. All he had with him was his phone and the clothes on his back as he shivered through the streets. Eventually, he makes his way to the central park, no doubt now with a cold. He doesn’t know where else to stay for the night, so he decides to take a cliche move and sleep on a bench. He moves over to one away from the park entrance and clears off the snow. His hand had been freezing cold now, er, well, colder. Regardless, Tucker still got up on the bench and layed down on his side, not bothering to really shield himself from the snowflakes that had been falling. He was so tired and exhausted, he closed his eyes…

  
  
  


  “Hey. Hey, kid,” A voice called for him, “Kid, wake up,” 

  Tucker felt a hand grab his shoulder and shake him awake. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the tall figure in front of him. He couldn’t see who it was, just a silhouette from street lights and the shine of a badge on their chest. Ah, yes, the cops.

  “Kid, do you know what time it is?!” The cop- Bad Cop shouted at him. Tucker was too tired to answer, so he shrugged. “It’s almost one in the morning. You’re breaking Rule #248: ‘Don’t stay out past 10 P.M.’” 

  Tucker mustered up enough energy to respond, “Sorry, Officer.” 

  Bad Cop held a hand out to him, “You’re going to have to come with us. What’s your name?”

  Tucker weakly took their hand and followed them off the bench. “Tucker Jamison.”

  “How old?”

  “Seventeen.”

  “You in school?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Junior or Senior?”

  “Junior.”

  Bad Cop started walking, and Tucker followed. The two walked in silence, Tucker not really wanting to argue with the cop. The kid had still been shivering from the cold as he was directed into the back of the cop’s cruiser at the park entrance. Bad Cop eventually made his way around to the driver’s seat and starting it up. “Aren’t you cold, lad?” A new voice said. Tucker looked up at Bad Cop to find him turned around and looking at him, sunglasses replaced with normal round glasses. Tucker just played along. 

  “Yes, sir, kinda.”

  “Kid, you’re shivering, I don’t think you’re ‘kind of’ cold.” Good Cop turned the heater up in the cruiser, “There should be a jacket of ours back there if you need one.” 

  Sure enough, Tucker looked over and in the seat next to him, sat a black hoodie which… actually looked pretty soft. He reached over and grabbed the hoodie, covering up with it as best he can. Eventually, did warm back up. Tucker saw Good Cop look in the rearview mirror at him.

  “What were you doing out this late, Tucker?” He asked. 

  Tucker didn’t know whether to tell him the truth or not about this one. He didn’t want to lie, but he also didn’t want his mom to find out he snitched. “I didn’t want to go home.” He said.

  “How come?”

  “I…” Tucker stammered, “I didn’t want to go home to my mom…” he said quietly.

  “Your mother? Why’s that? Is she hurting you?”

  “I don’t know,”

  Good Cop listed off examples of what abuse could be: emotional, physical, neglect, etc. When Tucker agreed with him on some of the examples he gave, Good Cop winced. “Lad, is there anything you want us to-”

  “Don’t tell my mom,” Tucker said suddenly, apologizing for interrupting, “She’ll kill me if she finds out I told the police. I know you guys protect citizens and kids and stuff, but… please don’t tell my mom…”

  Tucker watched a struggle play out on Good Cop’s face in the rearview. The cop sighed, “Alright. We won’t tell your mother.” The kid sighed. Tucker had started to get tired in the backseat. He let his eyes fall shut as he thanked the officer. 

  
  


  The next thing Tucker registered was a soft cushion underneath him, a pillow beneath his head, and a soft blanket draped over him. He opened his eyes, hoping he wasn’t back home.

  He wasn’t.

  Tucker sat up and glanced around. Was he in the police station? He must’ve been, that would explain the chatter of robots next door and the sleeping Bad Cop at the desk. Had Bad Cop been there the whole night? He looked for a clock in the room and was able to squint enough to see the one on Bad Cop’s desk. Oh, it was only almost 10am. Tucker wondered for a moment if he could sneak his way home. 

  He almost decided against it before a robot approached him on the bench.

  ‘Bad Cop has requested we escort you home at 10 o’ clock A.M. Mr. Tucker Jamison,’ it said, ‘Please gather your things so we may depart. Do not take the blankets or pillow with you upon departure.’ 

  “Okay,” Tucker simply said. He made sure to grab his phone before getting up and following the robot, noticing that Bad Cop still hasn’t moved from his sleeping position on the desk. Tucker didn’t want to wake him up. 

 

  Tucker sat in the backseat of another cruiser vehicle, allowing this robot to drive him home. He wasn’t sure if this counted as automated driving or not…

  It was nice while it lasted, being able to get away from his mother for one night. Tucker watched out the window as the snow had gradually started to melt a bit that morning. He almost didn’t notice the car pulling up in the… rather empty driveway. Tucker was home, but his mom was not. He felt almost relieved in a way, knowing his mom wouldn’t be angry at him for running off. Maybe she didn’t even know he ran off in the first place.

  The robot directed him out of the vehicle and Tucker thanked him. “Can you please tell Bad Cop I said ‘thank you’ to him, too?”

  ‘I will pass on the message.’

  Tucker stood by and watched as the robot drove off, and alone again, he trudged up the stairs to his front door and went inside.


End file.
